Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava
Well when I say that our best athletes play hockey its not exclusive. Look no further than the summer Olympics that just passed and you can see Canadian athletes who are incredible and don't play hockey. But it is a numbers game at some point. In New Zealand kids are predominantly rugby players, and to the surprise of no one they have an excellent rugby program as a result. When the vast majority of kids (athletes) play one sport, the program has a wider selection and the cream of the crop they select is better.
Its also an issue that we have had some kids who were excellent players but had the option to opt for other national teams. Would they alone be enough to push Canada into the WC? Maybe not, but the increased competition and increased level for the team overall would've made an impact I think.
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I believe there are more kids playing soccer in Canada these days than hockey believe it or not. I think I read that somewhere.